VOLUNTEER NOTES.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12911, 27 February 1906, Page 7

VOLUNTEER NOTES.

(By Vedette.) Matters volunteering are at present very qtiiet -throughout the district, .though I hear that - meet corps are obtaining good: parades... In some instances small fines for. Eon-appearance on parade have had a salutary, effect., on. the discipline of companies ; and impioved attendances have resulted. ! The idea .adopted in some places of fining] all volunteers absent without leave from; parade a sum which is placed to the credit; of an "entertainment" fund works well,, men paying the fines readily and cheerfully, knowing'perhaps that they will in a, mea-1 sure reap some pleasure out of the costs | thus accumulated. ' I Sergeant-Major Jones is hard at work J again, but ■'tis recent illness, has left its mark on -him, and the popular staff in- i structor is-not" yet ;r las: sprightly asoi' yore. "Volunteers will join with me in i wishing-=_him a speedy recovery to Lis former physical fitness. The following appears in a Ghristohurch paper js to .receive, special attention! at tie.forces* caffips'during Easter week. Colonel Bauchop, officer commanding the Canterbury district;- has received a communication from the General Officer, stating that field firing- will be the main feature of the manoeuvres." This seems to imply the holding of a camp of exercise at 'Easter this year, though nothing official has yet : been heard of the sanction of proposed schemes already outlined'. In Dunedin, laet week, the. volunteer forces "were notified to make preparations for a* "review" "during- -Easter week. L:i=t'Saturday week the Temuka Rifles fired on their own range their third match agasisst the College Rifles, Christchurch, defeating the latter team at ranges of 500 and 600 yard* by a total of 50 points. Capi am Richardson, of the College Rifles. is v/eJ kcr>wh ag a fsneer officer of the

South Canterbury Battalion. The half-yearly conference of officers I commanding unite in the Canterbury district will be held in the club room, King Edward Barracks, at 7.30 on Thursday evening. Units that may be unable to attend are invited to forward suggestions in writing. It would be well for quite a number of volunteers 4© make themselves acquainted with the fact that no matter what color the uniform may be none but black boots must be worn. In fact, the new regulations go .further, and insist that these boots roust be cleaned with blacking—rather a neglected portion of the camp equipment as a: rule. From the great quantity of information contained in the 80 foolscap pages of the recently gazetted volunteer regulations, I cull the following salient points on enrolment, etc., of which many volunteers are ignorant. Except as bugler or member of a garrieon band, no person under the age of 17 years or over 49 years may enrol in the forces of the colony. Apprentices must, not be enrolled without the written consent of their employers. Every person offering himself for enrolment shall be required to pass an (examination carried out by a medical officer of the forces. The chief points to be attended to are sight, hearing, and sound condition of heart and lungs. The standard of measurement is fixed at height, sft 6ins; chest measurement, 33 inches. The term of service for which a, volunteer enrols is three years. Non-coms, must pass a prescribed examination within six months of appointment to the position. At the meeting of the New Zealand International Exhibition Executive Committee, -held lastr vCSelonel • Jo'wsey, on Behalf ofrColonel Bauchop, moved tier adoption- of- the report of-the MilitaryAffairs- .Committee: TM proposedthnt a rnilitaiy be aeld, : to *es£*!Dd : - over two days and two evenings. "There l , would be competitions for all classes of the Defence forces, and there should be international competitions for which competitor!? would be- expected from all parts of' the Southern Hemisphere. It was necessary to give large prize money liA order to attract entries from a distance.